California says NO to Michigan facilities

Reasons: not enough security, too costly

Posted
8/18/09

LANSING — On Aug. 17, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) sent a letter to the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) saying it is no longer interested in outsourcing any of its excess prison population to the Michigan prison facilities in Standish, Standish Maximum Correctional Facility (SMF), or Muskegon, Muskegon Correctional Facility (MCF).

The letter, addressed to MDOC Director Patricia Caruso, says SMF is not a viable option due to high per diem costs that do not include medical or mental health, the lack of an acute medical and mental health facility within 150 miles and a claim that Standish Max cannot provide proper security for maximum security inmates, even though it is listed as a maximum security corrections facility by Michigan's standards.

The letter also says it will decline to utilize the Muskegon facility due to its Level-I security capabilities, which doesn't fit California's needs, as it has been ordered by federal courts to release 40,000 inmates in the next two years — most of which will be of the lowest security levels.